VINITA, Okla. — UPDATE: After deliberation Wednesday, a jury decided Ronnie Busick is competent to stand trial for the missing Welch girls case.
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The competency trial for the suspect, Ronnie Busick, in the Welch Girls case continued today.
The competency trial for the suspect in the Welch Girls case is now breaking for lunch. Follow this thread for the highlights of the morning. @KJRH2HD
— Chris DiMaria (@chris_DiMaria) December 18, 2019
The trial began with the defense attorney’s co-counsel taking the stand. He testified to concerns with Busick’s ability to help himself or his counsel in a trial situation. He cited Busick not remembering him, as well as Busick’s inability to stay on track in a trial situation. He was also concerned by the fact that the state had basically given Busick an opportunity to walk in exchange for information on where the girls may be, and Busick gave them nothing.
He said it “wasn’t a rational decision at all”.
The state argued that the crimes Busick is accused of were not committed by a rational person in the first place, and made the point that the defense immediately went out of state for their witness who said Busick would not be competent to stand trial.
Next up was the court-ordered expert witness. He is the Director of Psychology at the Oklahoma Forensics Center, and determined Busick is competent to stand trial. He said he’s done roughly 1,500 evaluations in his career, and Busick was “easy” to work with and analyze. He disagreed with the defense’s expert witness saying Busick is “behaviorally dis-inhibited”.
He said Busick understood the charges against him, and is “motivated” to proceed with the case and is “confident” in his attorney.
The witness closed by saying Busick understands how to defend himself in a trial, and would display proper behavior in court.
That’s when the court took a break for lunch, it will reconvene at 1:15 p.m. with cross-examination of the court-ordered witness.
Still up is the testimony of the state’s expert witness, who is expected to testify that Busick is competent to stand trial.
It’s still expected the case will proceed to jury deliberations later today.
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